By admin 
Scottish conservationists are set to transform a Highland sporting estate into a pioneering rewilding project after receiving a generous £17.5 million donation from an anonymous benefactor.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) has acquired Inverbroom estate, a vast 7,618-hectare property near Ullapool in north-west Scotland. The estate, which includes an 11-bedroom Victorian lodge with an indoor swimming pool, was purchased solely for conservation purposes, following the donor’s wishes.
The deal, brokered by a former SWT chief executive and the UBS UK donor-advised foundation, marks the largest single donation the trust has ever received and is believed to be one of the most significant gifts to a conservation organization in the UK.
A Vision for Rewilding
The SWT aims to turn Inverbroom into a flagship rewilding project, focusing on restoring natural habitats, expanding Atlantic rainforest, reviving riverside woodlands, and rehabilitating degraded peatlands.
Jo Pike, the trust’s chief executive, expressed excitement about the project’s potential:
“We see so many possibilities for nature restoration, which bring together benefits for nature with benefits for people. It fits perfectly with our priorities.”
Although the estate is mostly open hill land without significant ecological features, conservationists believe the regeneration work could inspire wider rewilding efforts in the region.
Challenges and Changes
A key part of the restoration effort will involve managing Scotland’s growing deer population, which conservationists blame for overgrazing and hindering native woodland regeneration. As a result, SWT plans to end traditional deer stalking and grouse shooting on the estate—potentially causing friction with neighboring sporting estates that depend on deer hunting tourism.
“Deer management is going to be a really important priority,” Pike said, adding that while culling will be professionally handled, the trust may later allow local communities to hunt deer selectively.
Funding the Future
To support long-term conservation efforts, SWT plans to convert the estate’s Victorian lodge into a high-end holiday rental, alongside revenue from farm and cottage tenancies. This approach follows a growing trend where conservation groups and community landowners fund environmental restoration through eco-tourism.
SWT also intends to secure grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and government subsidies for peatland and woodland restoration. The anonymous donor has additionally provided financial backing to cover initial operational costs, with surplus funds being placed into an endowment for future conservation work.
A Controversial Acquisition?
While conservationists have welcomed the purchase, some land reform campaigners question whether conservation bodies should acquire large private estates.
Andy Wightman, a leading land reform advocate, voiced skepticism:
“It’s a risky business taking on an estate of this scale. We should’ve moved beyond a world where conservation bodies need to acquire large amounts of land; we should be restoring land through well-crafted public policy.”
Despite these concerns, the acquisition of Inverbroom represents a landmark moment in UK conservation efforts, offering a unique opportunity to restore Scotland’s wild landscapes while setting a precedent for future private-public conservation partnerships.
Gill Bikram Singh